The Dark Side of the Bottle – A Guide to Wine’s Rogue Gallery

Detecting wine faults

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By Michael Pope March 28, 2025
Spain, before phylloxera, was a wild, tangled mess of vines with over 700 grape varieties stretching from the Basque hills to the sun-baked plains of Andalusia. It was a country of forgotten valleys and ancient terraces, of vines planted in haphazard mosaics, each plot a time capsule of local viticultural history. Winemakers worked with what the land gave them - Maturana, Trepat, Moristel, Rufete, etc. - grapes that spoke in the dialect of their terroir. Then came the great catastrophe.
By Michael Pope March 11, 2025
What happens in the vineyard during the winter months?
By Michael Pope February 10, 2025
An ode to wine tourism during the winter months. It's colder and the vines are bare, but there are advantages.
Tapas in a wine bar in Rioja
By Michael Pope February 2, 2025
If you can't travel to Spain to enjoy wine and tapas, read our post on creating some great wine and tapas pairings at home.
By Michael Pope January 22, 2025
Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva: How to read a Spanish Wine Label
Corks & screwtops
By Michael Pope January 7, 2025
Let’s talk about wine closures.
Barrel ageing room in Ribera del Duero
By Michael Pope December 26, 2024
If there’s one thing we’ve all learned from a long night of wine drinking and conversation, it’s that the world of oak ageing in wine is as complex and layered as a great novel.
By Michael Pope December 25, 2024
Discover the wineries, wines and places to stay in Rueda to enjoy a perfect wine tour of the region.
Wine tour in Utiel-requena vineyards
By Michael Pope December 23, 2024
Utiel-Requena: tips on the DO - where to visit, where to eat & where to stay. A wine region full of history waiting tobe discovered.
Ribera del Duero vineyard visit
By Michael Pope December 18, 2024
Wine tourism tips for Spain's Ribera del Duero. Discover a world of Tempranillo.
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